The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

59 : Until the Dawn

General Theobarlt was having an evaluation to every knight unit at that time. He visited all units from across the Empire. What made his brows furrow was when he came to the Marshall Unit and the Captain was not present at that moment. He asked about Captain Marshall’s whereabouts and heard that he was called to the Imperial Palace and did not come back for two days.

Upon hearing that, he just nodded and proceeded to watch their training. He had also pointed out mistakes of some knights and advised them to do something to improve themselves. He left the Marshall Unit during the sunset. Before he could leave the unit, he saw the Imperial Eagle flapping towards him. So he raised his hand to be landed by the eagle. He then took the letter that was on its feet.

“This is Lavenorth, please come to see Her Majesty. She is not feeling well today.”

After reading the letter, he immediately commanded his Vice General, Leon, to take care of everything before getting a stallion to go to the Imperial Palace. He galloped the horse as fast as he could to reach the Imperial Palace at the shortest time. When he arrived, it was already dark and there were no people on the street.

The knights immediately recognized his arrival and opened the gate for him without any inspection. They even insisted on taking care of the horse themselves so he can directly go inside. As soon as he arrived at the Emperor’s chambers, Sir Alluka had already opened the door for him. So he comes inside to see Darya covering herself behind the blanket.

He walked towards her and sat on the edge of the bed. He was silent at first so Darya would know that someone is beside her. After a few seconds, he called her name. “Lysandra,” he touched the blanket to feel her behind. 

Upon hearing his voice, Darya folded the blanket to sit. As soon as she saw Desmonde’s face, she could not help but immediately fall into his arms, making herself be wrapped by his warmth in a second. So then, the dejection that she had not let go yet, fell from her eyes. Tears continuously come out her eyes with light sobs coming out her mouth.

Desmonde gently wrapped her in his arms. His heart is breaking with the sight of her crying in pain. It feels like he is being torn apart while listening to it. He might have no idea what made her cry but he can feel the pain with the sound of her sobs. This only means that she is feeling really sad. He kissed her head and pulled her close, leaving her to let out her melancholic feelings. 

Thirty minutes later, he is holding her from behind while she is leaning on his chest. His arms are around her waist while their hands are intertwined. They have been silent for a while and all they could do was to play with each other’s fingers when they felt like their hands were starting to sweat. They stayed with each other in long silence. Until then, Darya finally spoke with her cracked voice.

“I… came to Zale earlier.”

Desmonde did not speak but he was listening.

“I found out the reason why I could not remember my 14th life.” Her voice was shaking, thinking about what she missed again. Such good memories that are worth remembering. 

“I think… I have left the people I love at that time…” She bit her lips because tears were forming in her eyes again.  “I think that… I wanted to stay there… I found my peace there but… the time was turned back by someone.” She finally mentioned the truth about the time being turned back. She had told Desmonde about having fourteen lives but she did not mention her coming back to her first life.

“The truth is…”

She was silenced a bit.

“…the time was turned back and I came back to my first life.”

She felt the tightening of Desmonde’s hug and she continued. “In my first life, I still became the Emperor but… I was married to Esteban and... and…” She felt like her tongue was being pulled out so that she could not speak. After a few seconds of silence, she continued.

“…and he poisoned me to become the Emperor.”

 Desmonde buried his head to her shoulder, still listening. “And I had a child in my womb when I died.”

She felt the stiffening of Desmonde’s body and tears started falling slowly from her eyes again. And she still continued, “When I opened my eyes again, I was inside Count Sebastian’s daughter. It was five years later and I was betrothed to Lorenzo. That was the time when I found out that Esteban made Lady Kathika as his Empress and he… had been hiding that he had a son, which is Lorenzo.”

Desmonde did not speak as he knew the truth about the relationship of Esteban and Lorenzo. He wanted to tell Darya about it but she actually knew it all along. So she had been suffering before she met him?

“Lorenzo then killed me because I knew what was between him and Esteban. Then… I became a slave after that death… I was in a mercenary group and there was a war. I met you there…”

Desmonde flinched. 

“You were a Captain and… you stayed in the Empire even if it was ruined. But… you could not save me. I was left by Reginald as bait to the wild boars in the Hapra Forest. I lost an arm and I was on my deathbed when you came to rescue. That...was my experience in this world, Desmond.”

Desmonde’s body was weakening word after word. He can imagine how she suffered in life. It could not even be called a bad life because it was worse than it. Now he is wondering how she managed to face the people who once betrayed her. How strong she had become that no one was able to know what was going on with her? How can she be so strong to keep her feelings to herself? How was she able to keep her sanity with different events happening in her life?

How…How was she able to endure that all? 

He pulled her closer, Darya could feel hot liquids wetting her shoulder. Desmonde could not take it anymore. He wants to take every pain away from her. He will do anything to be the person who will stand by her side and never make her feel betrayed. He will do anything to be that someone she will love for being true to her. He will be that man for every timeline, every life, or every planet.

Darya wiped her tears away and turned to the back to face him. She stood on her knees and pulled his head to her chest, embracing him. She let him cry in her arms while she caressed his head. She cried so bad earlier that she could not shed tears anymore. And she is feeling better now that she let out her frustration.

When Desmonde finally cooled down, she touched his face and leaned towards to kiss his lips. She then smiled to show him that she is now alright, “Let’s go to Alvellor, tomorrow?”

She is planning on going to Alvellor as soon as possible. Zale told her where she can find the god who made her an apostle.

Without asking the reason why, Desmonde just nodded his head. So then they slept in their arms even though the birds started tweeting because it was dawn.

***
END OF CHAPTER 59
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